The Holidays Are Coming…Don’t Let Your Customer Service Feel Like The Lump of Coal Weighing You Down

We all know that as soon as December kicks in (or from as early as November for those very organised people), the panic of what gifts to get your loved ones can be a real headache. Increasing numbers of people chose to avoid the hectic rush of the shops and click away at their computers to buy online – but what happens when something goes wrong?

1. The payment won’t go through
2. The item is showing as out of stock
3. You need to have the item delivered to an alternative address
4. The order hasn’t arrived
5. The item is the incorrect size or colour
6. The item is damaged
7. Some of your order is missing
8. You need a refund
9. You need an exchange

When problems arise, you want to speak to a real person who understands your frustration. You want your issue resolved quickly, efficiently and with a bit of festive cheer as the cherry on top. It sounds simple enough, but when the number of customer contacts soars in December, many companies struggle to cope. ‘Solutions’ such a generic responses to ensure that people hear within the recommended time frame frustrate the customer further, lead to additional emails and calls and escalate relatively simple enquiries into complaints.

So what can you do?

Be honest with your customers
If you’re experiencing a higher number of contact because of the Christmas rush, tell your customers. Email them back straight away and tell them you will endeavour to respond as soon as possible

Take advantage of all communication channels
Twitter and Facebook are great platforms for providing an immediate response and letting the world know that you appreciate your customers’ concerns.

Read and Listen
Inevitably, if a customer issue is taking a while to resolve, the customer might speak to several members of your customer service team. If this is the case, read previous correspondence or listen to what has already been actioned so that you don’t repeat what’s already been done. It saves time for you, and it prevents the customer from having to repeat their problem over and over again.

Get help
You can always count on Christmas to see a raise in sales, enquires and complaints so get help. Hire a few extra members of staff to help out over the Christmas period. This will help your company run a much smoother operation. Queuing and being put on hold will just frustrate customers more.

Here at Ntouch, we can take care of your customer services so you can join in the festive cheer too.